Miss International 2014 Valerie Hernandez Matias during her final turns onstage before being crowned winner.
Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago putting the sash on her successor, Valerie Hernandez Matias
I heard from the grapevine that, during the select talent performances of this year’s candidates, Valerie Hernandez Matias performed a “Beyonce-style” dance number wearing a tanga which people around classified as “seductive” (others call it bordering on the erotic). Normally, something like that could be a bit of a turn-off to the traditionally conservative Japanese organizers.
Does this mean that the pageant – which is likely to take on a more Tourism thrust very soon – is now shifting gears and opening itself to the idea of allowing a more modern woman of the world carrying the title for one year? If so, then the roster for 2015 could take Valerie’s win as the green-lighting of a new set of Miss International contenders – perhaps, a peg that would parallel the pre-Gabriela Isler Miss Universe image Donald Trump approved of.
Your thoughts, dear readers? ;-)
